Wike-stretcher



T. S. REDDICK.

WIRE STRETCHER.

APPLICATION FILED 00120. 1915.

gwuenfo'a Patented Oct. 14, 1919.

THOMAS SIDNEY BEDDICK, F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

- WIRE-'STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 14., 1919.

Application filed October 20, 1915. Serial No. 56,911.

. To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS SIDNEY Rnoorox, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin, State of Minnesota, have 1nvented certain new and useful Improvements in lVire-Stretchers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a wire stretcher,

An object of the invention resides in the provision of a device by means of which a great force may be applied to the end of a fence so as to stretch the same taut.

A further object of the invention resides in so constructing the device that it may be readily and easily applied andoperated.

With these and other objects in view, such as will appear as my description progresses, my invention comprises the combination and arrangement of parts as set forth in and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side View of a device constructed in accordance with my invention showing the same attached to a fence at one end and to a post at the other end;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmental detail showing the manner of mounting the hook carrying yokes upon the bearing boxes.

Referring to the drawing by reference characters wherein like parts are indicated by like characters throughout the several Views:

My device consists of a screw which is provided with a threaded portion 1 and a plain portion 2, on the end of which plain portion is a head 3. A bearing box 4 is mounted on the plain portion of the screw so that the screw will be permitted to rotate freely therein. A similar box 5 is mounted on the threaded portion so that upon the movement of the screw the said box will be caused to move longitudinally. Extending outwardly from opposite sides of the box 4: are lugs 6 on which clevises 7 are 'mounted, which clevises are maintained in place by resilient pins 8 which pass through the said lugs. Secured to each of the clevises 7 is a chain 9. These chains are secured at their other ends to a yoke 10 in which a hook 11 is swivelly mounted, which hook is adapted to engage a chain 12.

Extending from the opposite faces of the box 5 are lugs 13 on which clevises 1 1 are mounted, to which clevises chains 15 are secured, which chains are secured at their other ends to a yoke 16 which carries a swivel-hook 17. A clamping member 18 is secured to this hook by means of a chain 19 and is adapted to be engaged with the end of the fence which is to be stretched.

In order that the screw may be rotated, I have secured a ratchet 20 thereto, which ratchet is mounted between a pair of arms 21 of an operating lever. A pawl 22 is likewise mounted betweenthese arms and is adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet. This pawl is so arranged that it may be swung, about its pivot to engage the teeth on either side of the ratchet. The operating lever is secured in the proper position by a pair of washers 23 which are located on the opposite sides thereof. Thus it will be seen that when the operating lever is actuated the screw will be turned and the box 5 moved longitudinally thereof so that the fence will be properly stretched. As shown clearly in Fig. 2, the operating lever is located adjacent to the box 4, and one of the washers 23 is disposed between the arm 21 which lies adjacent to this box and the box itself. The ratchet 20 being se-- cured to the screw, the arm 21 just referred to is held with the washer lying against the box, and thus the box is held against sliding movement on the screw away from the head 3.

It sometimes occurs that the operating lever does not provide sufficient leverage and having recognized this fact, I have provided the screw with a plurality of openings 24: for the reception of an operating bar which may be of such length that the desired leverage will be obtained.

A housing 25 is, secured to the box 5 and incases the screw so that the latter will be protected. This casing is entirely closed and is of such length that it will permit the box 5 to have unimpeded movement on the screw.

It will thus be seen that I have provided an exceedingly simple devicewhich will be efl ective to stretch a wire fence and which will be simple to manufacture and readily used.

While I have illustrated and described a particular embodiment of my invention, it has merely been for the sake of convenience and I do not wish to be limited to that particular embodiment as it is obvious that nuwith the head, a ratchet mechanism includ-- ing a lever mounted to turn on the nonthreaded portion of the screw in contact with the bearing box and having a ratchet wheel fixed to the screw, a pawl carried by the lever and cooperating with the ratchet wheel, means carried by the screw to prevent translation of the lever and bearing box on the screw, a second bearing box threaded on the screw and having a casing inclosing the latter, trunnions projecting from opposite sides of each of the bearing boxes, clevis nions, yokes having connection at the opposite ends thereof with the extremities of the rebent sections forming the clevises and hooks swiveled centrally to the yokes for connection with the wire to be stretched out to an anchoring member and said wire or wires, as and for the purpose specified.

2. A wire stretcher comprising a screw, a bearing box swiveled on one end of said screw, a box threaded on said screw, a pair of outstanding pintles on each box, a yoke bar for each box, clevis straps bent about said pintles and a connecting member for each clevis strap and corresponding yoke bar, including a portion passed through the ends of each clevis strap, said connecting members being designed for connection with the wire to be stretched in the manner as and for the purposes set/forth.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the commissioner of Patents, 7

Washington, I). 0. 

